Chelsea: Eden Hazard was wrong to think he could be “just” a No. 10

There is a trope in fiction that when someone wishes for something, the wish comes at a great – often ironic – cost. Chelsea’s Eden Hazard is currently reaping the downside of his wish.

Months ago, Eden Hazard stated he wanted to play as the “No. 10,” the player behind the striker whose only job is to create chances. This was not a new sentiment from the Belgian. He said as much when he joined Chelsea, and even swapped his number 17 for the number 10 when Juan Mata left the club.

But there is a growing consensus that playmakers, whether advanced like Hazard or deep-lying, cannot afford to just create. The modern game does not allow for a player with only one job and few to no defensive duties.

That is why it is odd Antonio Conte decided to grant the Belgian his wish by giving him a role free of duties when Chelsea lose the ball. This is not a unique situation for the manager, however. He largely did the same to Andrea Pirlo, playing him in a deep-lying role. But Pirlo was well-shielded by powerful, workhorse midfielders. And his deep-lying role allowed the 3-5-2 to work despite his one-dimensional tasking.

Eden Hazard does not have the same protection. The only midfielder comparable on the roster is N’Golo Kante. And with Hazard forward, the options for playmaking are down to Alvaro Morata and whatever other player is able to join the attack.

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Ironically, the Belgian’s new-found freedom is holding the club back in an attacking sense. On offense, his playmaking role focusses so much of the play and the spotlight on him that opponents can more easily stifle him or cut off his partnership with Morata. Opponents can simply stay compact and allow Hazard to wander because they have contained his threat. His only option is a ball to Morata or one backwards towards his support, and that is not a good situation for the Blues.

Hazard wanted to be a No. 10, with the freedom to create, but the game simply does not allow that now. Players such as David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne showcase this. Both were classic “10’s” for the longest time, but under Pep Guardiola they have dropped deeper and accepted more defensive duties.

And Chelsea should have learned this lesson already. In the “buy all the creative midfielders phase” of 2012-14, Chelsea bought playmakers in Hazard, Willian, Oscar, and Marko Marin to supplement Mata and De Bruyne, who were already on the roster.

The idea was if they surrounded Fernando Torres with enough chances, he would score. That did not really work as intended. But instead, the players adapted their games to be more than just playmakers.

Hazard learned to drop deeper to assist Cesar Azpilicueta. Willian learned to cover for Branislav Ivanovic’s bursting overlaps. Oscar learned to defend and almost play a box-to-box role to cover on defense.

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Nearly every major club have placed these same secondary duties on their playmakers. There is a balancing act between giving playmakers freedom and allowing the team to function as a unit of 11. Having a pure playmaker such as Hazard puts Chelsea at a numerical disadvantage by having a passenger off the ball.

Last year, the 3-4-3 gave Hazard less defensive responsibility, but did not eliminate it. Conte still required him to press the ball, which often led to dangerous interceptions. Those interceptions up top are gone now, and the cascading effect has caused the entire team to press less intensively.

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Hazard is a player capable of creating, but that cannot be his only role. He needs to press, he needs to drop deep to aid defenders. He needs to be like the other modern playmakers by becoming more than just a No. 10. Until he does, Chelsea will suffer and Hazard will struggle to make any substantial impact.